La Marelle
by ShindaSekai
Summary: Years of self-denial, doubt and bitter feelings. Sheik's insights of his time spent with the Hero of Time, his feelings and thoughts.
1. Chapter 1

**The story follows the basics of the original OOT story at the beginning, but focuses on Sheik's thoughts and feelings towards Link. Written in Sheik's POV. Sheik is his own person and a man.**

**If you don't support the pairing, don't read. :)**

**Reviews are welcome :D**

**The Fire**

_I saw the flames dance in front of my eyes, red and blue, devouring everything that stood in their way. I smelled the wood that burned down to nothing but fine ashes. I heard the screams of the people who were caught in their houses and had to watch their existence fade away. I felt my mother tugging at my sleeve as I tried to pull her body out from underneath a wooden beam that pinned her to the ground. It was useless, my body was too small, too feeble. _

_"Go, Sheik, go."_

_I let go of her arm as the flames started to lick over her dress, frightened by her scream. And I did the only thing I could do; I ran for my life. My short legs carried me away from what once was my house, my home. I ran, stumbled and fell down as I tried to shun the clashing swords and the trampling hooves of the battle horses. I reached the safe hill and fell down with my face into the dirt. For a moment I simply kept lying on the ground and inhaled the scent of the moist earth, which my small hands held on to desperately. When I finally lifted my head to look at the horrifying scene a mere metres away from me, I could no longer hold back my tears. My body was shaking violently while the salty liquid ran down my cheeks and dripped from my chin onto the fresh grass. I knew I was not allowed to scream for it would draw attention to myself, so I put my fist into my mouth and bit down hard until blood trickled from my knuckles. The pain in my heart was as real as the pain in my hand. No. It was much worse. I almost did scream when I felt a touch on my shoulder but my outcry was muffled by a hand pressed firmly against my lips. I looked up in fear, knowing I was about to die but the fighter standing by my side was not my enemy. It was an auxiliary, a warrior from my tribe, my friend and my aunt. It was Impa, and she turned my face away from the battlefield and held me tightly. And my childish mind comprehended that we were alone now. We were the last survivors of the Sheikah. _

I opened my eyes and blinked away the memory. No matter how many years went by, no matter how much I tried to erase the horrors of my past, I could not deny the stabbing pain in my heart. More than anything else, I wanted to forget but the fire had burned itself onto my memory like the flames that devoured every organism.

I hoped I had been wrong about the orange sky hovering over Kakariko as I set foot on the stairs that led to the village but soon the smell of burned wood reached my nose and the particles of ashes in the thin summer air made it harder to breathe. I ran up the stairs and into the village. The windmill was standing in flames and the people of the village gathered outside, trying to extinguish the fire with the water from the well. The boy inside me flinched at the sight and wanted to run but I did not let him come through. I was an adult now and this was not the past. It was the present, the here and now, the moment in time. I had fought monsters, creatures of flesh and blood but I was afraid of something as simple and basic as fire. I was afraid that my past was coming back to haunt me. My aunt Impa had once built this village and it had been a place of residence for my tribe long ago. And it was about to be destroyed by fire, to suffer the same fate as my home town.

No one except me noticed the evil stirring from the bottom of the well. I had to stop them. The more water they fetched from the well, the closer the evil came to break through the thick walls. I made my way through the panicking people and pushed them aside but they did not seem to hear my warnings. And while I was desperately trying to stop what had already begun, I saw someone running up to me. It was _him._ The boy whose destiny was chained to the happenings in Hyrule. The hero.

"Stay back, Link!" I ordered but my voice was drowned in the chaos of my surrounding. Before he could reach me, the top of the well split in half and an enormous force pushed itself through the remaining water, breaking away from the seal that had imprisoned it for many years. A piece of the wooden construction hit me hard and I was thrown against Link. We both landed on the ground and I gasped for air as my back hit a sharp rock and blocked my lungs for a moment. A few seconds too long to defend myself. Out of the corner of my eye I could only see how the hero lifted his sword to fight the enemy before I passed out.

**Light And Shadow**

_"Are you ok?" His blue eyes looked at me worriedly when I opened my eyes again. I had passed out only for a few minutes but when I had regained conscience, rain was pouring down from the darkened sky and finally won the fight against the flames. Link's face was stern as he pulled back his arm that had supported my back when I sat up. "Don't worry about me," I mumbled and felt stupid as soon as the words left my tongue. "What on earth was that?" he asked and put back the sword into its sheath._

I moaned while removing the blood stained suit around my chest. The rock had detached a piece of my skin from my body and the wound was bleeding anew. I took off the top of my suit after reassuring myself that I was safe from anyone's gaze and let the heavy rain wash away the dirt and blood. My thoughts returned to the incident at the well. To Link. To his determined face when he made his way to the graveyard on the backside of the village. Neither had he hesitated a second to protect me, nor did he put his duty into question. He truly was selfless and put everyone else before him. I would have liked to think that it was me he wanted to protect but I knew this was only wishful thinking. I wasn't even sure whether he considered me as being a friend or merely his guide. He was everything I was not. He was a hero, I was a coward. He was the light, I was the shadow. He was the one everyone liked while I did my best to stay away from people. And even though it seemed like we were complete opposites, we had more in common than anyone would think.

I took a sip from the canteen I had brought along and gulped down the cold water. And while I was hiding in my secret refuge, I let my gaze wander to the sky and waited. Waited for him as I always did. As I always would.


	2. Chapter 2

**As you probably already guessed right, every chaptes consists of a memory and a scene related to it. Well, ain't got much to say, let's move on to the next 2 chapters!**

**Enjoy and please review if you read, thank you! =D**

**In And Out Of The Shadows**

_"You have to be faster or otherwise your enemy will strike you down before you have the slightest chance to defend yourself," Impa said and removed her sword from my chest. I got back to my feet again and wiped away the dirt from my suit. Although I was practising day by day, I was still weak and uncoordinated in my movements. I clenched my teeth and tried to conceal my disappointment. I was impatient and angry at myself that my hard training was still not paying off. Again and again, I swung my sword and tried to defeat my aunt in battle, but to no avail. Impa eventually ended our training. "Don't be so stubborn. You are trying too hard, Sheik. You have to work on your concentration. Move like a cat. Like a shadow," she advised me before heading back to the princess. I was thirteen. Impa had become my surrogate mother and my instructor, as well as she was Zelda's surrogate mother and her mentor. However, she increasingly spent more and more time with the princess and I was obliged to train myself. For the following five years, I devoted my whole life to martial arts. I had fully become a Sheikah, a shadow, a protector of the Royal Family. I was ready to fulfil my duty._

Link reached the fields of Hyrule at nightfall. His tunic was a little torn and stained with blood and he looked exhausted. I observed him from the tree I was sitting on and pondered whether he needed my help or not, whether I should join him or remain in the shadows. And whether I should listen to my heart or my head. I sighed. The latter would win anyway, any time.

My body relaxed when I realised that the blood on his tunic was not his own. He stripped it off and dipped the cloth into the stream of the river to wash off the stains. The skin on his torso shimmered softly in the moonlight and yet again I felt myself yearning to touch it. Once again, I cursed the resolutions I made eight years ago.

_I will never cry again. I will never show emotions. I will never get close to anyone. And most certain, I will never fall in love with anyone._

During all these years I had succeeded very well in keeping up my resolutions so this time I did not want to understand why my determination had suddenly started to falter in the course of a few months. A single human certainly could not be the cause for the unsteadiness of my poor mind, could he?

I continued watching him from above. He stared absent-mindedly into the night and the flames of the campfire lit his face. In the darkness of the night his eyes seemed much darker, not the usual bright blue. I shifted on my branch and caused a twig to break off. Link lifted his face and stared into my direction. I held my breath and did not dare to move. I wasn't afraid to show myself but I didn't like the idea of being caught spying on him. I wasn't eager to search my mind for plausible excuses because obviously, they didn't exist. I was observing him like I had already done a hundred times and that was a fact. Trying to deny it would only make me look even more like a fool. After a few minutes, he turned his head away and reassured himself that there was no further sign of danger. When he finally lied down and fell asleep, I watched over him. Just like every night.

**The Last Night**

_"I hope you understand, Sheik," the princess ended her speech. I looked at her and her blue eyes returned my gaze. "I can't leave this place, because if I do, Ganondorf will do everything it takes to kill me. But we cannot let Link head blind to his ruin. He needs guidance," she continued. _

_I simply kept looking at her. "Do you think I'll manage to fulfil my duty?"_

_"I have faith in you, Sheik. You're a brilliant warrior and you are wise. And most of all, you are careful."_

_"If that is your wish, I am ready to serve you." I bowed slightly. _

_"Listen, Sheik. After Link has managed to awaken all the sages, you must meet him at the temple of time. I will be there too. When time has come, I will reveal myself to him. I will make him believe that you and I are the same person. He will understand. I want you to be safe. You will be free after your mission, so don't worry. The fight against Ganondorf is our battle, and ours alone. I will not drag you into this."_

_I accepted. How could I not have? After all, I was bound to serve the Royal Family, no matter what. _

_When I met Link in the cathedral for the first time, it was hard to believe that this young man should become Hyrule's hero but soon I learned that my first impression had been wrong. And I learned that my task would be harder than I had ever imagined._

The time of Zelda's revelation drew closer with a frightening speed. I sat in the open field and scanned the landscape with my eyes, waiting for the silhouette of a horse and its rider to appear on the horizon. I wasn't worried about Link; as usual he would return from the temple bearing his victory and as usual I would give him a break and time to recover. Even though I knew that Ganondorf grew stronger every day, it didn't seem wise to push Link too much. He already had to carry this heavy burden all by himself and there was not much I could do to help him.

A black dot appeared on the straight line that separated sky and earth and quickly grew bigger. I got up and waited. Up to this very moment I had been completely calm but as soon as Link was approaching me, I felt a sudden unease stir up inside. As usual, I tried to hide it behind my mask. Link arrived safe and seemed somewhat surprised to see me standing in the open field. "Is there anything wrong, Sheik?" he asked with a frown.

"No. The time for your final battle has almost come and there might be a few things you should know about Ganondorf," I answered. I did not reveal my true intentions for they seemed contradictory to the image I was desperately trying to keep up. How could I have told him that this was the last night I could spend at his side? How should I have mentioned that soon he would find out that I didn't really exist? That I had lied to him all these times...even though I actually didn't.

He seemed relieved and followed me to Kakariko. I decided I would give him the opportunity to sleep in a bed and led him to Impa's house. I watched him as he hungrily stuffed his mouth with the food I laid down before him and shook my head when he offered me a slice of bread. Never had I taken down my cowl in front of anyone, except Impa and Zelda, and even though this was my last time as Sheik, I didn't allow Link to see my face. I had thought of revealing myself to him many times but I knew I was safer with the familiar cloth over my face.

I blew out the candles that lit the room when Link lied down in bed. Darkness enveloped my body and the unease I had felt before finally vanished. I sat down on the chair on the other side of the room.

"Aren't you going to sleep in bed?" he asked, and even though I was more than sure that his intentions were of purest nature I couldn't help but feel a certain heat crawl up inside of me.

"I won't sleep at all," I simply answered, hoping it would be satisfying enough for him. I really wanted to avoid further questioning about this matter.

He sat up in bed and looked at me. The room was dark but the moonlight shone through the window onto his face. His eyes had the same dark appearance and when he looked at me, I felt a shiver running down my spine. During the day, his eyes would shine in a bright blue but at night they would be tinted with such an intense scarab blue that one look could cause goosebumps to appear on my skin.

"Why don't you come over and sit here?" He kept his gaze on me and I wasn't able to refuse his offer. I got up from my chair and moved over to the bed. His presence made me nervous but I knew how to disguise it.

"I don't know what it is," he murmured, "but something is different today, isn't it?"

I swallowed. Did he sense that something was about to change? Did he notice the slightest modification in my behaviour?

"Tomorrow you will have to face Ganondorf. And it will be the day everyone has been waiting for for the past seven years. I do think that's reason enough for being a little tense."

He nodded.

"After that, you will finally be free," I added.

He smiled and his hand briefly touched my arm, as if by accident.

"If I fail," he began, but I cut him off.

"You won't fail, Link. Have faith in yourself."

"Just in case...I want to say thanks for helping me all these times." He smiled a little sheepishly and lifted his arm as if he wanted to touch me but pulled back his hand again. He ran his fingers through his hair. "Um, well, maybe, I don't know, can I give you a hug?"

My heart skipped a beat. For a second, I simply stared at him. The ninja inside me wanted to flee, to run and hide in the shelter of the shadows but the man inside me forced my body to stay. Link clumsily put his arm around me and pulled me carefully against his body. It felt awkward but Iobliged myself to lean a little more into the touch. I rested my head on his shoulder and tried to enjoy the warmth of his embrace while taking in his smell. He put his other arm around my back as well and pushed me firmly against his chest. I wondered if he could feel my heartbeat. A sudden panic rose inside me and I quickly pulled away from him. I got up from the bed and went back to my chair, ignoring his irritated look. My heart was still pounding in my chest.

My body _wanted _him and that unknown feeling scared me.


	3. Chapter 3

**I apologise for the shortness of the chapters, but I realised, while writing, that it would ruin the mood of this story if I wrote lenghty chapters. **

**I hope you all had a nice Christmas! :)**

**5. It's All Lies**

_"This is the temple of time. It is a sacred place. Do you see the altar with the engravings and the spiritual stones? It is the entry to the lower part of the cathedral; the passage to the pedestal of time where the Master Sword waited to be pulled out by someone pure of heart. It was Link, the boy from the Kokiri forest, who took the sword. By pulling it out, he opened the door to the sacred realm seven years ago." Impa put her hand on my shoulder and gently shoved me forwards. "You will have to wait inside the temple when the boy is ready and be his guidance."_

_"Where is he now?" I heard myself asking._

_"He is in the chamber of sages in the temple of light. His spirit is sealed away but his body has been trained to fit his mission."_

_I raised an eyebrow. How could someone's body be trained while the mind was sleeping? Isn't the mind as important as the body? I didn't quite understand these methods but I kept quiet. After all, this was not part of my business. _

_As promised, I waited inside the temple when the time for the hero's awakening had come. When he descended in a flash of light and turned around to face me with the Master Sword in his hand, I knew that this meeting would be a fateful one._

I watched Link enter the temple of time and followed him soundlessly. Every step that I took felt as if my feet were made of steel. He turned around when he noticed me standing in the doorway. I felt Zelda's presence behind me. "Link. There is something I need to tell you," I began, "...please do not think of me differently." Even though I knew I was only speaking the words that Zelda had taught me, I felt that they contained some truth. He looked at me, confusion written on his face. I continued with my speech and when I had finished, I raised my hand. It was time for revelation, time to deny my existence. Behind me, Zelda produced a strong light which dazzled the hero. And while he closed his eyes, the princess and me switched our positions. I disappeared into the darkness of the hallway but glanced at Link one last time. Saw his eyes grow wide when Zelda explained our perfect little lie to him. Saw how he took it all up inside. Saw his face one last time. I finally forced myself to get out of the building and leave behind everything I had lived for these past months.

I was free but if I had known that freedom could feel so oppressive, I'd rather have surrendered it.

**6. New Beginnings**

_The thick black clouds hovered over the castle and I assumed that Link was still fighting against the Gerudo king. I felt a knot in my throat for I knew that I could do nothing but wait and pray to the Gods that Link managed to seal away the dark lord. I believed in him but this time, I could not sit around with the same calm feeling. I could not help him for I didn't even exist to him any longer. And even though I knew that Zelda only did what she thought was right, I couldn't help but hate her this very moment. _

_When the castle collapsed and bright flashes of light appeared in the sky, accompanied by a humming like the monotonous chant of praying monks, I knew that Link had made it. I retreated into the depths of the lost woods until I reached the sacred meadow. Of all the places in Hyrule, this had always been my favourite. I sat down on the trunk and took out the small harp from my pocket. My instrument which was the only precious thing that I could still rely on. That didn't leave me. I let my fingers run over the smooth and cold metal before strumming the strings. And while I sat there playing my harp and listening to the soothing sound I waited for time to stop and rewind. _

I kept my eyes closed and breathed in the scent of the mild spring air, feeling the soft grass under my naked feet. The humming of bees was the only sound that disturbed the silence of this calm day. My slightly darker complexion got a little more tanned by the sun and while I enjoyed the heat on my skin, a familiar face formed before my inner eye. A face with outstanding blue eyes and an innocent smile, framed by golden hair. I forced my eyes open to make the picture disappear. Ever since the world had gone back in time, his face was haunting me. If Zelda had been right with her predictions, I should not have had the slightest idea who this man was but instead I had not forgotten. Not a single thing. I wondered if Link remembered as well, but then again he believed I was Zelda. I had once seen him sneaking past the guards into the royal garden but I had not been allowed to show up.

I was eleven years old, but my mind was that of an adult as my memories of older days had stayed with me. Memories of a time when I was a wretched lovesick teenager. I realised that this new life was an opportunity to change the course of things. I had to see Link.


	4. Chapter 4

**7. Seventeen**

_I walked along the huge hallway of the castle that led to the inner courtyard. I knew I would find the princess most likely in the garden; the place, where long time ago, she first encountered the boy from the Kokiri forest. The same boy I wanted to meet so desperately. A guard lifted his head when he saw me but only gave me a short nod, letting me pass by. As I entered the garden, I saw Zelda sitting on the grass, the hem of her dress untidily resting on her naked legs and hanging down to the ground on both sides. She might still have been a child from the outside, but I knew that deep down inside, she felt the same torment as me. She seemed lost in her thoughts while her fingers played with the blossom of a daisy and she didn't notice me. I cleared my throat to call attention to my presence. _

_"Oh, it is you, Sheik." She flattened the folds of her dress and patted with her hand on the ground beside her; an inviting gesture. I sat down next to her and stretched my legs._

_"What can I do for you?" she asked, guessing rightly that I had not come to simply keep her company. _

_Once again I cleared my throat. This wasn't an easy matter to discuss for someone like me but I had prepared myself for this conversation. "I'd like to see Link again," I said as calmly as I could._

_She raised an eyebrow but didn't look the least surprised. "I just wonder whether he remembers me or not," I added quickly. _

_"Sheik, I thought you knew that he is not aware that you really exist."_

_"I know, I know, but...I'm no longer in danger, am I? I mean...I really don't want to keep hiding from him for my whole life. Besides, don't you think he has a right to know?"_

_"Sheik, don't make it any more complicated as it already is." _

_I felt my heart drop a little and my childish eyes looked up to her wise, blue orbs. Though smiling softly, I felt the severity behind the mask she was wearing. I wondered if possibly, she wasn't oblivious of my feelings. _

_"He has left Hyrule," she finally admitted. _

_"What?" The word bubbled unintentionally from my mouth. _

_"He said, that he needed some time for himself. I think he felt lost since he didn't know where he belonged." Her eyes reflected her sadness. So this was the reason why she had always seemed so distracted lately. It was not a big surprise that she was fond of him, maybe even to the extent as I was, but unlike me, she didn't even try to hide her feelings. _

_I nodded and put on a smile to hide my disappointment and shock. "I see." _

_I don't know whether she saw the deceit on my face or not, but I didn't care. The only thing I wanted was to be alone. I left her without another word and made my way out of the castle. _

It was on my seventeenth birthday when my life suddenly changed. Until this day, I had been living on my own and similar to my former life, I had devoted the past years to my training. First, because I had to distract myself and second because I didn't want to lose my ability to fight and move around like a shadow. My brain remembered but my body did not.

As I was currently residing in a hut in the Gerudo Valley, I was a little cut off from civilisation. I usually absolved my training in the battle ground of the Gerudo fortress or in the plain of Hyrule and only returned to my humble home when nightfall came. But that day I was on my way to the castle town as I was short on provision. It was a long walk on foot and unlike most of the travellers I did neither own a horse nor a donkey. I reached the lively town in the late afternoon and only stopped by to refill my bags. For a second I wondered whether I should visit Princess Zelda or not but in the end I decided to head home straight away. The sun was already setting when I set foot on the drawbridge again.

I had been walking for a few hours when I heard a horse galloping into my direction. Seconds later, a mare appeared on the horizon. I was about to get out of the way when I recognized the flaxen horse and the peculiar white mane. "Epona!" I waited until she was a mere metre away from me and instinctively grabbed her reins, forcing her to stop. The rider was unconscious but he somehow had managed to remain on the horse's back. His upper body rested against the mare's neck, his face was buried in her mane. My heart started beating heavier when I realised that he was hurt. _He. _Link.

**8. Old Habits Never Change**

_Only the scratching of my fingertips against my thigh revealed my nervousness. On the outside I managed to keep up my rigid appearance, but on the inside I was trembling. Link had been inside the water temple for way too long and I couldn't get rid of the bad feeling inside my stomach. I was standing only a few metres away from the temple, but the water had not come back to the dried up lake yet. I was used to waiting but this time waiting had become a torture. _

_A strange dripping noise caught my attention an I held my breath to listen. The slow and constant dripping changed into a sound of rushing waters and soon the crystal clear liquid filled the lake once again. A loud sigh escaped my lips and my tense body relaxed a little. A human form suddenly appeared on the surface, blood staining the face and hair. I quickly jumped into the lake and pulled the unconscious young man out of the water. I inspected his wounds and upon seeing that, apart from a few scratches, his body was unharmed, I assumed that the water masses had pulled him under, causing him to lose consciousness. I brought him into recovery position and brought my ear to his mouth to check if he was breathing. _

_"Sheik..."_

I watched the boy lying in my bed, not knowing whether I should be worried, anxious or happy about his return. I observed his sleeping face, his slightly parted lips, the frown on his forehead. My gaze fell on the bedsheets, the up and down of his chest as his lungs filled with air and the breath that left his mouth again. I decided to leave the hut, somehow not wanting to be there when he woke up. My wish to see him again was faltering and I just couldn't help it. The mess inside my head and my heart was too disturbing for a coward like me to put up with. A wooden box in the corner of the room caught my eye and I walked over to open it. My fingers touched the cowl I had been wearing in my former life and I brushed over the soft cloth. Putting it over my mouth and nose somehow gave me a reassuring feeling. This was how Link knew me and I secretly hoped that it would help him to recognise me for he had never seen my entire face. And that was a fact.

**9. Reunion**

_The light in the cathedral was dimmed. Ever since Ganondorf managed to get a hold of the Triforce and changed the whole land into a place of darkness, the sun barely made its way through the heavy black clouds. This once light-flooded and luminous building was now always gloomy and depressing. I let my gaze wander around the high walls while I was patiently waiting for the young man whose destiny it was to save Hyrule. A flash of light finally announced his arrival and when my eyes adjusted to the new brightness, the Hero of Time was standing next to the pedestal. I remained silent and invisible in the shadows and decided to observe him a little longer before leaving the safety of the dark. He was standing with his backside to me, the heavy shield and sword fastened on his back. He seemed a little confused and clueless, his eyes scanned his own body a few times. Right, he had just awoken from a seven year's sleep and probably hadn't had the chance yet to fully inspect his now adult self. _

_"I have been waiting for you, Hero of Time." I stepped out of the shadows._

_He instinctively pulled the sword out of its sheath as if his arm hadn't done anything else for the past years, and turned around to face me. His eyes were of the purest blue I had ever seen before._

_"Who are you?"_

I did what I could do best: I closed my eyes and concentrated on my surrounding, on every breeze, on every sound, on every smell. My senses were on full alert. In this state I could even hear the anxious heartbeat of a mouse. My arm moved of its own volition and I carefully removed my dagger from its sheath. Not a single sound was to be heard. My goal appeared before my inner eye and with a determined move I threw the dagger. When I opened my eyes again, my weapon was stuck in the middle of the trunk of a tree. I smiled to myself; my hard training was paying off at last. I walked over to the tree and pulled the short sword out of the trunk when I heard a noise behind me. I spun around. A loud noise of metal hitting metal resounded when my dagger crashed against the much tougher blade of a skilfully forged sword.

"Sheik?" The blue eyes widened with a mixture of shock and surprise and he immediately let his sword drop. "I mean...Zelda. No, Princess!" He looked confused and scratched his head.

I took a deep breath. Of course, he still thought I didn't exist, that I was nothing but a disguise of the princess. For a moment I considered acting like I did not remember. It could be so easy. I could simply make him believe that I had never met him before. It was so easy to be a coward...but...no! I had to make these lies stop.

"I see, you have returned to Hyrule, Hero of Time." My usual speech.

He looked a little hurt when I called him by his title and not his name.

"Why are you in disguise again? Has something happened to the castle?" He sounded worried.

"The castle is fine. And so is the princess."

The confused look on his face grew bigger and I almost felt sorry for keeping him in suspense.

"I guess I own you an explanation," I finally said and invited him to take a walk with me. He put away the sword he was still holding in his hand and followed me.

"I am not the princess, and I have never been," I explained. "And I really _am _a Sheikah."

"But I saw you transform into Zelda in the temple of time!" he protested.

"Did you? Zelda never transformed into anyone or anything. She only planned to blind you for a moment. A moment long enough for us to switch positions."

He stopped. "Why? I mean, why did you have to use such tricks?"

I looked at him. "Because we had to. Zelda had to hide from Ganondorf but you needed guidance. That's why she sent me. I acted on her behalf."

"So everything you did was on Zelda's behalf?"

"Indeed."

Something in his face changed. His eyes narrowed a little.

"I see. I should have known that someone like you would not really care about others. As a Sheikah you are indebted to the Royal Family so you had to help her, right?"

I wasn't sure whether I should answer or not. I had never seen him mad at me.

"The Sheikah would not mingle with other people's problems if they weren't forced to do so, right?"

I couldn't really deny it. My folk had always been a tribe that wasn't interacting with others much, except for business. We weren't interested in other people's problems and certainly were too proud to accept help from others. We never asked for it either.

"It must have been a torture to be forced to help me then, I guess," he said coldly.

I took a deep breath. "Do you want to thank me for rescuing you or keep on offending me?" My voice was unintentionally sharp.

"Right! Thanks a lot, Sheikah, for your help but don't worry, I won't bother you anymore. Epona!"

The mare lifted her head and joined her master's side.

"Fine! Just go to your princess and leave me alone." My anger was starting to boil up from the inside and I felt my hand turn into a fist. _Control, Sheik, control!_

Link grabbed Epona's reins and climbed onto her back. He shot me a last glance, then turned away from me and drove his horse into a gallop. I watched him as he departed, as he ran away from me. When he was out of sight, I punched the tree next to me with my fist and repressed an outcry. I waited more than seven years for his return and now that he finally was back, I had successfully managed to drive him away from me. A little bird chirped its happy song uninterrupted on the branch next to me and its ugly voice drove me over the edge. I threw a needle into its direction but it missed its target. Instead it flew straight into a wasp's nest. I gulped. That meant trouble.


	5. Chapter 5

**I just wanted to say thanks to all the people who favorited this story and of course to every reader! **

**On another note: Kera is simply a fictional character with no relation to the Legend of Zelda**

**11. Breathe**

_"I bet you can't reach the nest!"_

_"Of course I can!"_

_"Then prove it to me," Kera said and crossed his arms._

_I looked at him and laughed. "Just because you are too weak it doesn't mean that I'm the same."_

_He tried to punch my arm but I ducked down just in time, laughing. _

_"Well, what are you waiting for? Fetch me the nest!"_

_I approached the tree. The target was not easy to reach but I knew I could manage. I pulled out the grappling hook that my aunt had given me for my tenth birthday and aimed for the thick branch. I pulled on the rope to check if the hook was in the right place and wouldn't come loose before I started climbing up the tree. I swung a leg over the branch and removed the hook. I moved a little closer to the trunk and climbed higher into the tree. The nest was a mere centimetres away from my hand now and I reached out for it. I realised too late that it wasn't empty. _

_I cried out when a wasp stung my hand and instinctively pulled it back, but this careless movement made me lose my balance. I flailed both arms to regain control over the situation but to no avail. I fell down the tree and landed ungracefully with my face in the dirt. I heard Kera calling my name and running up to me. He pulled me back to my feet but the fall had made me dizzy. I held onto him while he carried me to my house._

_"Sheik! What happened?" My mother helped me sit down on the kitchen chair. Suddenly I could no longer breathe. My lungs were blocked and I felt myself panic. My fingers grabbed the armrest and my knuckles turned white while I was desperately trying to get the air back into my lungs. _

_My mother asked Kera what had happened to me and massaged my chest._

_"I don't really know...he fell down a tree when he tried to catch a wasp's nest..," he sputtered._

_"Wasps..." My mother quickly went over to her shelf and pulled out a bowl with herbs to save my life._

I ran. Ran as fast as I could but the angry wasps were quicker than me. They stung me in the neck and I cried out. The sting itself wasn't that painful but I knew that soon, the poison would spread through my body and paralyse my lungs. I cursed my allergy. I hadn't made it to my hut yet when I felt the effect of the poison. My fingers dug into the earth and I tried to relax when panic started to rise. I was alone. Between heavy coughs I tried to open my lungs, tried to breathe in slowly but the poison was strong. Minutes passed and I struggled to remain conscious.

Suddenly, two strong arms picked me up from the ground and the Hylian's worried face looked down at me. "Sheik! What happened?"

"I...can't...breathe...," I tried to explain but my words were weak and merely audible.

He pulled me up and brought me into a sitting position between his legs, my back pressed against his chest. "Breathe, Sheik, breathe."

He ripped off my cowl and opened my tight suit. His hand was gently stroking my arm while he tried to help me. "Feel my chest. Breathe with me."

I leaned my head against his neck and opened my mouth. I held onto his trousers and dug my fingers into the fabric, squeezing his flesh underneath it. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on his own breathing, tried to imagine I was hunting in order to increase the activity of my attentive senses. He kept on stroking and massaging my arms and chest and telling me to breathe. I focused on his voice that was calm, deep and comforting in my ear. I felt his heartbeat against my back and after ten minutes that seemed like eternity, I breathed. Warm air filled my lungs and I sucked it in like my body had never tasted anything as precious before. My grip on Link's thighs loosened and I relaxed. He saved me.

For another few moments no one of us dared to say anything. Link gently put his arm around my waist and held me tight. I nuzzled my face against his neck and closed my eyes, holding back my tears. Tears of defeat, weakness and relief. "I'm sorry for what I said," I whispered but he shook his head. "Don't worry, Sheik, it's fine. I'm here."

**12. Healing**

_The sun was setting and painted the field of Hyrule with an orange glow. Link was sitting face to face with me and removed the sleeve of his under shirt. I analysed the burns on his arms._

_"You were lucky, it's not that bad," I said and reached out for the herbs in my pockets. I put them in a small bowl and added some water from the river, mashed the whole until I got a thick paste and carefully put the mixture onto the burns. I removed one of my bandages and tightened it around his arm. "That should do."_

_He inspected his arm and gave me a cheerful smile. "Thanks, Sheik!"_

_"You should be more careful or you'll end up in the stomach of a Dodongo one day."_

_He laughed. "It wasn't my fault! That dragon's skin was burning hot and it almost kicked me down into the lava."_

_"Well then, I can guarantee that your next quest will be much cooler." _

_I stood up and grabbed the few belongings I had brought with me. "We'll meet again, Link."_

_He quickly got up as well. "Are you leaving yet?"_

_I nodded and reached out for a deku nut. _

_"Hey, wait, Sheik don't go yet!" _

_The nut hit the ground and blinded him for a moment. A moment long enough for me to disappear. _

I opened my eyes. Link was still sitting behind me and I felt his breath on my neck.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes." My voice sounded exhausted.

"What happened?" He removed a streak of hair that was sticking to my cheek and his fingers brushed against my skin.

"I got stung by a wasp. I'm allergic to their stings. Their poison makes it hard for me to breathe."

He seemed to think for a short while. "I never thought I would see your face on an occasion like this."

I felt a heat crawl into my cheeks and quickly turned my face away from him. He laughed softly. "Why are you still trying to hide it from me?"

I didn't dwell on his question because primarily I didn't want him to embarrass me any further.

"Could you do me a favour?" I asked him instead.

"What is it?"

"Can you fetch some herbs for me? I need it for the poison that's still in my body." I explained the shape and colour of the plant to him and hoped he would find it.

While Link was away, I walked to my hut and sat down on my bed. My knees were still weak and my breathing had become worse again. I took a bowl from my shelf and put some water inside. Link soon came back with the herbs and he put them into that same bowl. I observed him while he was busy mashing and stirring the mixture until it looked like spinach.

I reached out for the bowl. "This is fine."

He looked at me and grinned. "Let me do it. Where do I apply it?"

"Well...it needs to be put on the sting and on my chest," I muttered, "and I can do it by myself."

"It's alright, Sheik, it's not a big deal, really."

He removed his gauntlets and put them aside. I felt a little uneasy while I removed the top of my suit.

Upon seeing my bare chest, he commented: "You really have a man's body!"

"Link, I _am _a man..."

"Yeah, sorry." He smiled apologetically and started doing his job. The paste felt cool on my skin in contrast to his warm fingers. He slowly rubbed the green mud onto my chest, his fingers sometimes brushing accidentally against my nipples, which, by now, had become already hard. I pushed his hand away before my body could react more to his touches. "That's enough. Thank you." I tried to hide my confusion but keeping up an emotionless face when you don't have a cowl is somewhat harder.

All I wanted was to kiss the handsome Hylian, kiss him hard and passionate. But I didn't. I never could.


	6. Chapter 6

**Finally chapter 13 and 14~ Woah, I'm really sorry that it takes so long to update, but I got a lot on my mind lately (school). I might not be updating for some time after those 2 chapters, since I don't have much time during the week and I actually have 2 other stories which I am currently writing. I will try to do my best though!**

**Thanks for reviews and favourites and the like~**

**13. Want**

_He left the next day and headed for the castle. I watched him disappear into the distance and returned to my hut. I sat down on a chair and looked at my own clothes. It was time to get rid of this suit, the cowl, the bandages, the past. I folded the suit neatly, put it away along with the cowl and changed into simple and more comfortable clothes. My lips curved into a smile when I watched myself in the mirror. Things were about to change and those weren't bad changes._

_Months passed and Link visited me quite often. We would play music together, battle for the sake of keeping us in shape or simply sit together and talk. I enjoyed his presence even without words. Little by little I got to know him better, understood how he felt about life, his past and his friends. The only thing I never came to understand were his thoughts and feelings towards me and it seemed like this was not a subject to be talked about, which I clearly regretted. More than anything else I wish I had known what I meant to him._

_"Sheik, can I talk to you about something?" he asked me one day while we were sitting cross-legged on the river bank._

_I looked at him questioningly. "Of course. What is it?"_

_"Well...I don't really know how to explain," he said a little sheepishly, "but you know, I think my body is dealing with certain changes recently."_

_"What changes?"_

_"Well...uhm...sometimes when I wake up in the morning there's...well..." He stared at his crotch._

_I wasn't sure whether I should be amused or feel embarrassed but I couldn't hold back a laughter. _

_"Hey! Don't laugh at me," he pouted._

_Still grinning, I apologized. "Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. Well...it's normal, Link, don't worry."_

_"I didn't say I worried. It's just...annoying. It's like my body is telling me that this is part of growing up."_

_"Well, I guess it is."_

_"Does it happen to you too?"_

_"Link, I said it's normal, it happens to everyone." I didn't like which direction this conversation was taking and hoped he wasn't into further investigation._

_There was an awkward pause before he started talking anew._

_"Sheik...have you ever kissed anyone?" His innocent blue eyes looked at me._

_By now I did feel embarrassed. "No, I haven't."_

_"Don't you want to try?" _

_Before I could answer anything he seemed to notice that his question sounded more like an offer and a light pink tinged his cheeks. "I mean, not now! Just, in general," he stuttered. _

_"I wasn't expecting that you would offer me a kiss so don't worry." I laughed._

_His gaze still rested on me calmly and I returned his look. Although his lips kept sealed it seemed like his eyes were telling me something. If only I knew what message they wanted to transmit._

_He turned his head away and towards the sky. "It's getting dark...I should get going," he murmured._

A cold wind blew and I pulled up my cowl. Even though I had decided to renounce it, I thought it would be helpful in winter, which proved to be right. I took my dagger and smashed it into the ice that covered the whole river's surface. Winter had never been my favourite season for it implied harsh conditions for everyday life. I crushed the ice until my dagger had formed a hole big enough for my bucket to dive into the cold water. The river was my only source for water and during winter it was a hard and dangerous task to fetch the precious liquid. My hand was red from the cold when I pulled the bucket out of the river again. As I was on my way to my hut to fill the barrel with fresh water, I saw a familiar figure approaching. It was Link. He was wearing a warm coat on top of his tunic and a large scarf around his neck which covered his mouth and nose.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, hi. I'm getting some water to fill my barrel so that I don't have to go down to the river every day," I explained to him while pouring the water into the reservoir.

"Can I help you?" He lifted his arms as to show that he was willing to aid.

"If you don't mind." I was glad for all the help I could get because it meant that I would be able to go home earlier and warm my body in front of a nice fire.

We managed to finish our work in a little less than half an hour and I couldn't wait to finally get inside. My clothes were wet from the snow and the water that I had accidentally spilled over my top and trousers. Link closed the door behind us and rubbed his arms.

"Damn, that's really a harsh winter!" he exclaimed. Looking at me, he added "You should change your clothes and I will put on a fire in the meanwhile."

I nodded and walked over to the roughly timbered shelf where I kept my clothes and several other belongings. I quickly changed into dry clothes and returned to the fire place where Link was still kneeling.

Soon the fire crackled in its niche and I brought a few cushions and blankets to make the place a little cosier. I wrapped the blanket around my painfully cold body and pulled up my knees.

A dead silence formed between us and only the crackling of the fire was to be heard.

He reached out his hand and touched my arm underneath my blanket. "You're still cold."

I looked at him. In the darkness of the room with the fire being the only light, his eyes seemed dark, almost black. My heart clenched a little. I had seen this glance many times and it always filled me with a yearning but that night I wasn't sure if I could resist it any longer.

"If you have some heat to spare, I'll gladly accept it." The words escaped my lips before I could think about their meaning but it was too late to take back what I just said.

He moved closer and rubbed my arms but this was not what I wanted. I wanted to feel his warmth through my clothes. I removed my blanket and leaned against him. He seemed a little surprised but carefully wrapped his arms around me as if he was afraid to make a wrong move. I felt his breath against my face and closed my eyes. I tentatively pressed my lips against his mouth and he returned the kiss. It was an inexperienced yet warm kiss and I continued feeling his soft lips with my own. His embrace tightened and I kissed him more intense this time. When his lips parted and our tongues touched, he pulled me onto his lap and I felt his body closer to mine. By now I kissed him rough and passionate, my body moved against his, my fingers got lost in his hair and his tunic. His hands had found their way under my shirt and caressed the skin on my back. My pants grew tighter and I felt the same reaction from his body against my crotch. He let out a groan when my mouth finally let go of his.

There was no more doubt that we both wanted the same thing. "Will you stay for the night?" I murmured. "If you want me to stay, I will," he answered quietly. I nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck and breathed in his scent. The air suddenly seemed chilly around my previously heated body and I pulled the blanket around us.

**14. Red Ice & Blue Fire**

_"Sheik..."_

_I turned my head to him and gently pushed his body back into the blankets. "You have a fever, you must rest."_

_He looked at me with slightly hazy eyes but didn't try to get up anymore. I dipped a piece of cloth into the cold water of the river and wrung it out before placing it on his forehead. _

_"I feel terribly hot," he muttered and tried to get rid of his tunic by pulling at it._

_I sighed. "Let me help you." My hands grabbed the borders of his tunic and I carefully lifted it over his head. The white __under-shirt__ was clinging to his chest and revealed the vague shape of his muscles. I loosened the collar of his shirt but he pleaded me to remove it as well. As I brought my hands up to his chest again, I felt his hot skin on my fingertips, I smelled his sweat. It was a sweet torture and a test for my inner strength. I removed the damp cloth from his forehead and plunged it into the water again. When I returned to him he sat up. _

_"Sheik...can I ask you a question?"_

_I wiped his skin with the cloth and allowed him to speak._

_"Are you ever afraid?"_

_My brows furrowed. He waited for an answer. "I am," I admitted._

_"So am I," he murmured, "everyone always expects me to be the hero they have been waiting for but sometimes I wonder, can I even do that? Am I really the one they think I am? No one ever asked me..."_

_I returned his gaze but kept my emotions hidden behind my façade. I felt sorry for him. The burden he had to carry was too heavy for one single person and yet he always seemed to take it so well. I had never seen him act like he questioned his duty and yet I had always wondered about his own feelings._

_"__Every time__ I step into a dungeon I'm scared because I have no idea what awaits me. I never know if I get out alive again. And when I actually do manage to cleanse the temple, I'm covered in blood of the ones I have killed. Sometimes I wish it wasn't me," he added, almost whispering. _

_I didn't know what to reply. His weakened body slumped against mine and he let his head rest against my __shoulder blade__. I wished I could find the right words to say. I wished I knew how to put my arms around him and soothe his pain. I wished I could show my feelings to him. And I wished I could be the friend he was seeking in me. But the only thing I did was tense up as his breath warmed my skin under the fabric of __my__ suit._

The snow crunched under my feet as I followed Link through the woods. My cheeks were red from the cold and I hid my nose under my cowl. He stopped in front of an old tree. "This should be fine," he said after analysing the wood. "You better step aside," he smiled and lifted his axe.

While he was cutting down the tree and chopping wood I walked around and picked up branches that were not frozen yet and not too wet. My fingers soon were numb from the coldness of the snow and ice and I looked over to Link to see how fast he was working. I was longing to get back inside and light a warming fire. As I was observing him, my thoughts returned to last night. Admitting my feelings felt like relief after such a long time of dissimulation even though I was a little embarrassed by the fact that I had jumped at him like that. Now that I had finally felt his body next to mine, I wanted him more than ever.

We returned to the hut an hour later. I rubbed my numb fingers in order to be able to feel anything again and started piling up the remaining blocks of dry wood that I had stored in a corner. As soon as the fire was lit, I grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me. Link went over to my cooking corner and grabbed a sack of potatoes and whatever he could get. My supplies were slowly diminishing and the town was hard to access in these harsh weather conditions. I opened the barrel and filled a pot with water which I hung over the fire. Link put the potatoes inside and sat down next to me. I snuggled up to him to make myself more comfortable.

"You somehow surprise me," he said out of the blue.

I lifted my head and looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"I always thought no one could ever get closer to you than five metres."

I instinctively pulled away from him but he caught my arm. "I didn't mean it like that," he said and retained my eyes with his sapphire orbs. I relaxed and gave him a smile.

He grinned and bent forward to kiss me softly. I wrapped my arms around him and enjoyed the feeling of his lips on my own. He pulled me on his lap again and grabbed my buttocks, his lips suddenly pushing against my neck. I closed my eyes and let him touch me. His hands ran over my bare back and over my stomach before they opened my shirt and finally removed it from my torso. His lips traced damp patterns on my collarbone and chest and I felt my nipples harden under his fingertips. His hands were a little rough but still sensitive and I gave in to his touch.

Soon our shirts were scattered around the floor and our bare chests touched as we moved into a lying position. Link gently shoved me underneath his body and bent down to kiss me some more. I couldn't stop my heart from fluttering in my chest when my brain realised that my body was about to experience feelings it had never learned.

His hands travelled down my stomach, stopped a second at the waistband of my trousers before disappearing under the cloth. I gasped when his cool fingers touched me where no one other than myself had ever touched me before. His lips found their way back on mine and before long we were naked, touching each other and fulfilling our needs. A wave of pleasure rippled through my body when I came and it made me forget the world around me. The dancing pink and blue dots before my inner eye slowly vanished as the impact of my orgasm declined bit by bit. I opened my eyes, stared at the ceiling and felt the heat leave my body. It was a deflating and anticlimactic feeling and I wondered if it derived from my inexperienced body or if this feeling was the natural consequence of such a strong climax. I looked over at Link whose eyes were still closed and I wondered how he felt about it. He must have felt my eyes on him for his lips curved into a smile and he murmured something I didn't understand. His eyes suddenly snapped open.

"The potatoes!"


End file.
